Shocking moment ex-Liverpool and Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho's interview interrupted by gunshots
GUNSHOTS interrupted a TV interview with Liverpool legend Philippe Coutinho.
Loud gunfire likewise erupted when his Vasco da Gama team-mates Leo Jardim and Nuno Moreira went in front of the camera pitchside.
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Fans were shocked by the scenes in Rio de Janeiro - but many were amazed above all by the reaction of all three players.
Former Barcelona midfielder Coutinho, 32, paused when the shots cracked out, before turning around grinning and sharing a jokey comment.
His fellow Brazilian, ex- Lille keeper Jardim, burst out laughing.
And Portuguese winger Moreira stood calmly with a smile on his face before crossing his arms.
Four of Brazil's biggest teams are in the high-crime city of Rio.
Vasco, Fluminense, Botafogo and Flamengo are bitter rivals.
But some areas of the city - usually impoverished neighbourhoods called favellas - have a history of gang violence.
And when clips of the interviews were posted online, fans were stunned by how the three stars made light of gunshots.
One fan wrote: "The craziest thing is that no one even moves. Like normalizing things is really scary."
Another posted: "The tranquility of the Carioca people[Rio residents] listening to the bullets flying still impresses me. "
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But a third argued: "Embarrassing. They have to move the training centre out of the middle of this favela. It's embarrassing. For the love of God."
A fourth pointed out: "Vasco and Fluminense's training centers are on the same street, practically next to Cidade de Deus.
"It's not a good location. But when it comes to the city of Rio de Janeiro, no place is a good place."
And a fifth madean even more sobering claim.
They wrote: "This is Rio de Janeiro without makeup, not what the authorities try to sell to outsiders. Most Cariocas (sur)vive daily under these conditions of imminent risk when leaving their homes. Devastating and revolting."
Coutinho is on loan in his home country from Aston Villa after spending last season with Qatari club Al-Duhail SC.
His career has gone downhill since following five scintillating years at Liverpool with a £142million move to Barcelona in 2018.
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